They believe the invention could replace some drones, as the beetles would be far more agile and require no engineering to keep them in the air.

"Unlike manmade legged robots – for which many tiny parts, sensors and actuators are manufactured, assembled and integrated – the insect-computer hybrid robots directly use living insects as nature's readymade robot platforms," the researchers published in a journal paper.

When triggered by a radio signal, electrodes inserted in different parts of the beetle's body make the insect walk at a specific rate, take off or hover in the air

They inserted electrodes at specific parts of the beetles' legs, optic lobes and flight muscles which – when triggered by a radio signal – make the insects walk at a specific rate, take off, hover in the air, and turn right or left.

The electrodes are connected to microchip backpacks, which consist of a processor and a lithium battery. The packs are strapped onto the beetles using organic beeswax, which allow them to be easily removed.

"Different walking gaits were performed by reordering the applied stimulation signals," said the team. "By varying the duration of the stimulation sequences, we successfully controlled the step frequency and hence the beetle's walking speed."

"To the best of our knowledge, this paper presents the first demonstration of living insect locomotion control with a user-adjustable walking gait, step length and walking speed," they added.

The team believe the hybrid beetles could provide an "improved alternative to remote-controlled drones"

Assistant professor Hirotaka Sato from the NTU Singapore's School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering believes that the drone beetles could be used to search collapsed buildings and disaster sites.

"This technology could prove to be an improved alternative to remote-controlled drones as it could go into areas which are not accessible before," he told the Telegraph.

"For example, it could be used in search-and-rescue missions as it could go into small nooks and crevices in a collapsed building to locate injured survivors."

Experiments were carried out with the Mecynorrhina torquata, or giant flower beetles, which measure an average of six centimetres in length

Experiments were carried out with Mecynorrhina torquata, or giant flower beetles, which measure and average six centimetres in length and eight grams in weight.

This particular species was chosen for its ability to lift relatively heavy loads, and all the beetles involved in the project went on to live for their usual lifespan of between five and six months.

The next thing we know, armies of these beetles will be taking over the world and I sense something like The Matrix occurring.

ZoeW

Progress is not indicated or achieved through our use of other species. Quite sickening.

alex

Isn't this just electroshock therapy? Where is the borderline on animal cruelty drawn? Are insects conscious? Do they 'feel' like other animals?

Why not use the same technology to turn monkeys into postmen or bartenders? Maybe we could use it to make cats dust the house while we're out. Or use any animal to do a job humans can't be arsed doing.

Concerned Citizen

Why not? We already have trained monkeys in congress. May as well make something useful out of them.

Freddy H

First it was train eagles to attack drones, sick and dangerous; now make another animal into a drone?

I'm disgusted by the number of people who still think something like this is okay, it's not okay. Build a robot you Mengeles, that's what technology is for. It's not for enslaving other animals.

natm4c

Perhaps worthy of an April Fool's – but no, this is actually real and it is wrong.

MAMG

Genuinely shocked at the naivety of the comments section here, we already control animals with audible commands, and humans with economy, how can you be shocked by this?

This is comparable to shaping a bonsai tree with wire, stop being offended.

Concerned Citizen

Not sure the juice is worth the squeeze until longer-living insects can be found. Why not train mosquitoes, or house flies?

The article mentioned connecting to an optic nerve, but said nothing about being able to see what the beetle sees.

tired of the cover up

What a cover up. This has been around for many years, minus the chip on the insects. Why is our government hiding this info? Could it be they are using this technology to spy on all of us?

tired of the cover up

FYI: you will see messages from GOVERNMENT TROLLS stating that my earlier comment is not true. My message to them, stop being part of the cover up. If you want to save your own life start telling the world, because they will come after you because you know too much if you don't. You're not elite enough!